A Broken Someone
by pantedgieQueen13
Summary: Did I know you were there? Yes I knew. I always knew. That's why I feel the way I do. Because you knew, you always knew. Request by SonicPwnsAll. Rated T for cursing and injuries.


**A Broken Someone**

The city was unusually quiet tonight. No cars passed by below, no millions of brightly colored lights disturbed the peaceful, blessed darkness. The first one created, and the one that always returns after the light is over. He liked this, when nothing disturbed the quiet dark he'd come to love.

"Shadow!"

Quite naturally, he'd spoke too soon. The black one turned, his quills flaring at being disturbed. He thought the rooftops at this hour were safe from intruders. "What?" His tone showed what his eyes did: Death to whoever just said that.

Tan arms embraced him and hugged him tightly to her breasts. It was Amy. The pink hedgie looked into his red eyes, pleading wordlessly with him. "Shadow, you've got to help him. Please, Shadow! We've all tried our best, but none of us can get through! Please, you've got to save him!"

Shadow fidgeted in her grasp, unable to free himself. "I help no one!"

Amy chocked back a sob. "Please! Please help Sonic!"

Shadow pulled away instantly. His heart was already racing as he thought of the blue faker, with his cocky smile and eternal impatience…ick! He wanted to vomit just thinking about him! "I don't help anyone." He repeated. "Especially not that hyper blue thing you call Sonic!"

Amy stepped back so far, she almost fell down the fire escape she's probably used to get up here. Her look conveyed horror. Even the dark one had to admit what he'd said was a bit harsh. The pink female sniffled. "Please," she begged. "Just come and see him. I can take you."

Shadow huffed. "Well. Let's get this over with."

**&&&&**

Sonic wasn't hard to find for once. As Amy half-tugged Shadow along and the male saw where they were going, he thought the blue one who apparently needed saving could've been a little more creative. The local park at sunset was just so three years ago.

He hissed, realizing he sounded like a girl.

"Well?" Shadow quizzed impatiently as Amy hid them behind a shrubbery.

"Shh," she cautioned and pointed. Shadow followed her finger.

Sure enough there, at the base of a large oak, was Sonic. Two large headphones covered his cat-like ears and a small music device was clenched in his gloved fist. Even from this distance, Shadow could tell that Sonic's usually bright green eyes had definitely lost most of their luster and his fur seemed less fluffy, clinging to a frame that didn't suit him at all. It was all wiry and spider-like; too thin. At least, it was for Sonic.

Somehow, Shadow didn't think anyone who could devour a tower of chili dogs in ten seconds flat and still manage to be hungry should be that thin, even if they did have Sonic's amazing power. The dark hedgehog found himself pushed from behind and caught a glimpse of the red dress through the underbrush as its owner scurried away. "Amy!" Shadow complained. Someday, he swore he was going to kill that girl.

He looked back towards Sonic, but the rustling of the bushes didn't seem to disturb the one in question. Shadow guessed that his music was far too loud and crept closer. All the while, the normally lively, unable-to-sit-still-for-very-long teenage hedgehog didn't do so much as move a muscle. He was totally unprepared for any attack that might come about.

As Shadow got closer, he noticed that Sonic's cheeks shone in the light of his music player (when it lit up) and also when the sun hit them just right. Could this mean that he had been crying? Why? Shadow paused, a hand pressed over his heart. He felt so strange all of a sudden. It was the same feeling he'd got after Maria had died.

It was a feeling of loss, of hatred, of failure. And Shadow hated it. But, worst of all, he hated that he was feeling this way about Sonic. Why should he feel that he failed Sonic at all? But, quite suddenly, those feelings intensified.

Sonic began to shiver and his white teeth curled over his lip. His knees curled up to his chest and he wrapped his arms around them, as if to keep them in place. His music player dropped to the ground beside him as he hid his face in his knees and began to sob.

Shadow felt like someone had shot his heart with an arrow, or stabbed him in the back. It wasn't right, he felt, that Sonic should be crying. "You fool," he chuckled, now standing over him. "What do you have to cry about? Your life is perfect." He sighed. "You've got friends that love you, and so many people who need you. A warm meal and a loving hug every day. What reason do you have to cry?" He had to ask himself: _Who could want more than that?_

Sonic's sobs paused. Maybe he had noticed the shadow that had passed over him. "Go away, Knuckles." His voice was weak and hoarse. "I don't wanna talk to you."

"Well, what if it isn't Knuckles who's here?" Shadow answered apathetically.

"Shadow!" Sonic pulled away from himself and into a defensive, albeit a bit of a frightened, position. The headphones slipped off his ears, and Shadow found he could barely hear the music. So, it hadn't been too loud after all. "What are _you_ doing here?" He tried to sound bitter and ready to tussle, but there was no way his tough-guy exterior could change the weakness he had unwillingly shown the faker.

"Amy got me to come down and check you out. She says you need 'saving'…" Shadow scratched his upper arm doubtfully.

"Saving?" Sonic repeated, standing slowly. "Where did she get _that_ idea from? I'm fine, fine! Just tired. Erm…later!" And, off he sped in the direction of his house.

Shadow wondered at Sonic's defensive answer, but thought better of it. He knew he would never ever fully understand the blue annoyance and went back to the rooftops.

**&&&&**

Worry caused Shadow to return to the outskirts of the city where Sonic had taken up temporary residence in a small bungalow with four rooms and one floor.

The dark hedgehog peered into the grimy window and saw Sonic sitting cross-legged on the floor, staring wistfully at the refrigerator, his chin in his hands. Shadow saw him sigh and close his eyes. The worried one wanted to break open the door and find out what was going on.

But, instead, Sonic crossed to the living room and bent at a cabinet over in the far corner, which was soon revealed to be a place for DVDs. Shadow started to breathe again as he watched Sonic select a DVD, cross to the television, and pop it in. But, he didn't go into the kitchen to make popcorn or get a chili dog. Instead, he picked up the clicker and pressed a button. The rapid movement of changing colors showed he was fast-forwarding it. Then, he paused it and picked up the phone beside the couch, dialing a number.

Shadow strained his ears to hear the conversation. He could only hear, however, the reply. The person Sonic was talking to spoke and then cobalt pressed "play" on the clicker. It was his own voice! Maybe it was a home video.

"Yeah, I'm okay."

Shadow thought he heard: "you sure?"

"I'll be all right," said the Sonic on the television. The real Sonic was holding back sobs as he paused it again and held the phone to his ear. Again, Shadow couldn't hear the person on the phone, but he did see Sonic press the "play" button again.

"You take care of yourself now." The voice of Sonic on the TV sounded light and weightless, like it had no cares in the world.

"Okay, I will." Said the phone. Sonic hung up.

Shadow held his breath as he saw Sonic turn to look at the refrigerator again, a debate played out in his emerald eyes. Finally, he turned off the TV and lay down on the couch, stomach down. This was an odd way to sleep for him, he usually preferring to be belly-up. Shadow wondered at this, but saw nothing out of the ordinary and made his exit.

What he didn't see was Sonic open his eyes, staring at the place where the faker had once been and sit up, only to dig his head into his arms and cry again.

_Didn't you hear me, even though I didn't want to call?_

_I thought you didn't know, but then again, you always knew._

_Did I know you were there? Yes, I knew._

_I always knew._

_Always knew that you'd be watching me, always knew that you cared somewhere_

_Buried deep down inside._

_That's why I feel the way I do._

_Because you knew. You always knew._

Time passed, and everyone forgot why they were worried about Sonic. Well, except Shadow, that is.

Lately, Shadow had been blushing at the thought of Sonic's tears. Why did Sonic have to be the one in tears? Why?! He didn't deserve it at all.

Shadow paced the rooftop for the third time that morning. He swore he'd memorized every brick, every speck of dirt, and every piece of flattened gum that had no place here he'd seen them so many times. "Grr!" He snarled, nearly tearing his quills out of his head. "What the fuck is wrong with you, Sonic?!"

"I can't answer that." A voice appeared out of thin air and a very damp Sonic appeared. His eyes stood out of his unusually thin face and his blue fur was made several shades darker by the water that dripped off every strand. He smiled sadly as Shadow turned to face it.

"God dammit, Sonic!" And before he even knew what he was doing, Shadow ran forward and had the hedgehog pulled into a tight hug. "Why do you make me worry?"

Sonic shrugged. "Technically, I was born an anorexic. I just managed to ignore it for most of my life." He grinned. "How else do you think I manage to keep a constant weight? It isn't just my speed."

Shadow, realizing that he had unconsciously hugged the blue one, let go reluctantly and flushed until he was pink all over. "So, you knew, didn't you?"

"What? That you were basically stalking me?" Sonic laughed, but it sounded forced and strange. Like the laughter didn't belong here. "Of course, Shadow. I'm not so sense-dead that I wouldn't know who followed me. And, I know when my friends worry. I can see it in their eyes, even if they don't say so." His eyes shone just a little bit.

Shadow flushed, feeling very hot in temperature. "You…consider me a friend?"

It was Sonic's turn to blush. "Well…I _do_ have quite an imagination, so…"

"So…?" Shadow was confused, and he wanted Sonic to know this.

Sonic choked on a nervous laugh. "So…well…I've always considered you as…more than a friend." He finished, combing a gloved finger through the thankfully thick fur that covered his belly.

Shadow caught the naughty blue one's meaning. "Dear me. Amy isn't going to like this."

The blue one stooped to re-strap his shoes, but he was so nervous that he couldn't even do it. Shadow chuckled and closed the short distance between them. "Here, let me get that for you." And, he stooped down to the level of Sonic's shoe to re-strap it for him. Sonic felt like a child who is unable to tie his shoes, but at the same time, he wanted to tell Shadow exactly what was wrong with him. Tears welled up in his eyes as the feelings he'd kept inside for so long just came out.

He didn't really know how to begin, so he just threw his arms around Shadow's neck and began to cry softly into the ebony shoulder. Shadow repositioned himself so that he could cuddle Sonic more easily and stroked the sapphire one soothingly until he'd calmed down enough to talk.

"Did you sense it, Shadow, that something was wrong with me?" Asked the blue one, his voice still shaky.

"Yes, I did." Shadow answered solemnly. "I sensed that all was not well."

Sonic sighed. "You guessed right." He groaned as his stomach rumbled quietly.

Shadow picked up the vibrations and ruffled the fur directly over Sonic's midsection with a free hand. "Hungry?"

"Never mind that," Sonic pulled away from Shadow and crossed his legs, his quills making odd shadows on the rooftop. "I'm an anorexic. I can push it away. This is more important."

Shadow tilted an ear quizzically. "I don't think you've _ever _turned down an invitation to eat! This is serious, isn't it, blue?"

"So serious." Sonic nodded slowly. "It's about…well…"

"Go on," Shadow pressed, sitting beside him. "We've got all day, unless your stomach…"

"I'm fine." Sonic mumbled, his pupils dilating for a few quick seconds. He hadn't starved this long in a while and was obviously out of practice. "It has to do a lot with me, and a little with you."

"I'm intrigued." Shadow leaned forward. "Do go on."

"A long time ago, Eggman ruined my self esteem. I made up for that by being completely obnoxious and forcing myself to be proud of what I had done. I developed an ego big enough to hide the fact I had little to no self esteem. When Eggman bereted me after I went Dark Super Sonic1, I was reminded again that I had no self esteem and I began a downward spiral that I kept to myself. With you dying and coming back, I had to. Otherwise, everyone would've known my true feelings."

"So, you loved me?"

"In a very large sense of the word, yes, I did love you." Sonic smiled, blushing cutely. Shadow stroked the ear closest to him.

"What then?" The dark one asked after a moment of silence.

"I guess we come to now, when I couldn't hold my suffering in any longer. I had to confess how I felt to you. And, that is what I'm going to do." Sonic cleared him throat and took at deep breath. "Shadow, I not only love you; I adore you. You mean more to me than a belly full of chili dogs or a long run. Won't you please say you love me, too? I know…" He cut himself off and turned away.

Shadow brushed his lips against the other's muzzle. "Finish."

"…I know you love me, too." Sonic let out the breath he was holding and rested his head on Shadow's shoulder.

The dark one chuckled. "Yes, I love you, Sonic. More than the ARK, more than Maria…won't you be mine?"

Sonic yawned sweetly and nuzzled under Shadow's chin. "Of course I will, faker. I was always yours. You just didn't know it back then."

"Same to you, blue," Shadow replied. "Same to you."

There was a satisfied silence between them. Then, Sonic lifted his head. "Hey, Shadow?"

"Yes, my little blue one?"

"Mind if we get something to eat?" Cobalt covered his stomach with both hands. "I'm starving!"

Shadow chuckled, nuzzling his nose. "No, not at all, my sweet one. Not at all."

END

**&&&&**

_Request by SonicPwnsAll. If anyone else has any requests, I will take them with open arms. (Granted, it might take a while…) If you request, it will definitely be worth it. Thank you and please review!_

1 He means after Sonic X Episode 70 (?).


End file.
